ISKANDAR PUTERI, Sept 30 — Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) are expecting a difficult match against Shanghai Shenhua in the Asian Champions League Elite (ACL Elite) tomorrow night and will have to stay focused, according to JDT’s head coach.

Hector Bidoglio said despite enjoying the home-ground advantage of Sultan Ibrahim Stadium, his team need to be at their best to beat the Chinese club.

"It will be an exciting and tough game. Therefore, we need to stay focused and be competitive. We need to roar as it’s a very important game. The players are working very hard to play in the ACL Elite match.

"We know the opponents are very good. They often score goals through set-piece moves and are also good at finishing headers. But we trust in our players, who are also good,” he said at a pre-match press conference here today.

He said JDT would also need to improve their set-piece movements to walk away with three points from the match.

According to him, midfielder Enzo Lombardo has been ruled out of the match due to an injury sustained in the Super League match against Kuching City FC last Friday.

Meanwhile, JDT defender Jordi Amat Jordi said he believed that the team are fully prepared for the match.

"It’s very special tomorrow to be back in Johor. We need to play good football to beat Shanghai Shenhua. Yes, they are a very strong team.

"We have a very strong team too. We are motivated and can do something tomorrow,” he said.

Shanghai Shenhua manager Leonid Slutsky said he is expecting a tough game against JDT but his team are ready to give their best.

The Russian-born manager singled out Arif Aiman and Natxo Insa as the JDT players who would be given extra attention by his team.

"We know JDT is a great team. They are just like Shanghai Port in the Chinese Super League, like to dominate the game and attack from various angles.

"Player number 42 (Arif) is a good player and number 30 (Insa) is also still showing a good level despite being 37 years old,” he added.

Shanghai Shenhua midfielder Joao Teixeira said that all the players are ready to face the Southern Tigers.

"JDT is undeniably a great team and we need to be more competitive to match them. For sure, we will try our best and perform without pressure. It will be a high-intensity match,” he said.

JDT drew 2-2 in their opening match against Shanghai Port on Sept 18, while Shanghai Shenhua beat South Korea’s Pohang Steelers 4-1 on Sept 17.

The East Asian region league matches are to be played at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium, where JDT will face Shanghai Shenhua, Ulsan HD FC, Thailand’s Buriram United and Pohang Steelers.

The Southern Tigers’ away matches are against Shanghai Port, Australian A-League Men champions Central Coast Mariners FC and Gwangju FC (South Korea).

The ACL Elite, formerly known as ACL and scheduled to be held from Sept 16 until Feb 19, 2025, uses the ‘swiss-system’ format that is similar to that of the 2024/2025 UEFA Champions League (UCL).

According to the format, 24 teams are divided into two groups, namely West Asia and East Asia, with the teams in each league facing eight different opponents through four home matches and four away games.

The top eight finishers of each league will progress to the Round of 16, scheduled for March 2025. — Bernama